UNCASVILLE — Tom O'Brien and Chaz Oates made a lasting impression on the Watertown High basketball program. While the two senior co-captains walked out of Mohegan Sun Arena without a state championship Saturday, the duo did their best to bring respectability to a program that had been down for years, if not decades.

"Tom and Chaz provided exceptional leadership," said Watertown coach Ed Sakl III after a 71-57 loss to Waterford in the Class M state final. "They instilled confidence in every one of the players."

The team's only seniors were intergral parts of the climb toward the top of the Naugatuck Valley League this year.

When they were freshmen, the Indians were 3-17. They improved to 8-12 in 2009-10, claiming their first postseason berth in 41 years, and to 17-7 in 2010-11, claiming the NVL Brass Division title. They also took a first-round win in the NVL Tournament and a Class M first-round win as well.

O'Brien and Oates, who averaged 13 and 11 points per game, respectively, led the Indians this season to a 24-4 record, the most wins in one season in school history and the school's first Naugatuck Valley League title.

"Tom and Chaz led us every day," said junior Eddie Hill. "I am really going to miss them next year. They made us better players and made the whole program better by the way they played so hard. I want to make them proud of us. We are going to get back here next year. We will do it for them."

O'Brien said he was proud to be part of the program's resurgence.

"My career was very positive," said the 6-foot-6 center. "We all believed in each other. I couldn't be more proud of what this team accomplished this season."

Even when the game was slipping away in the second half, O'Brien saw the determination in his teammates. "We never gave up hope, not until the final buzzer," said O'Brien.

Oates, the team's smooth point guard, agreed.

"I wouldn't trade my teammates for anyone," said Oates.

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